Cozy studio newborn portrait session for Winter Lily | Saratoga Springs newborn photographer

I recently had the honor of welcoming Winter Lily to my Saratoga Springs studio to capture her newborn portraits! Winter Lily was accompanied by her big brother, Phoenix, and her parents. Her big brother was SO proud and it was the absolute sweetest thing to watch throughout our session. Our portraits for Winter Lily really focused on the interactions between these two babies and the family together. Winter Lily’s solo portraits featured beautiful pastel colors - and I even got to play with some fun winter overlays and snowflakes! 

While I was photographing Amanda’s family, I knew I was going to fall in love with the final portraits. And, I definitely did! This family’s outfits were perfect in the studio.

When you’re planning what to wear for your own studio newborn portraits, consider light neutrals. Light color shirts reflect light back onto the baby’s face when you hold them up against your chest, it keeps the focus on the family & expressions & love. I’m a huge fan of creating imagery that will be classic, timeless, and simple. Light neutrals help make that possible! 

I’m so happy for this family of four and I’m thrilled that they asked me to document this incredibly special time in their family’s lives! Welcome to the world, Winter Lily! 

---

Save this post for later!

How to successfully capture newborn portraits with a toddler sibling

One of my favorite parts about being a newborn photographer is seeing families come back with their second (or third, or fourth) babies to my studio. I adore watching the toddlers I’ve photographed since they were newborns become big siblings and welcome their new baby brothers or sisters to the world. It’s so special - being able to capture these milestones for families. Not just the new baby, but the transition into siblinghood for the older toddlers, too. But, capturing these toddlers comes with it’s own challenges, and just about every parent I talk to is worried about how their toddler will be with the new baby during our portraits. It’s such a common fear - and I totally get it! But it’s 100% possible to have a beautiful session - with your toddler and new baby. Look at how well Baby Dylan and his big brother Owen did!

When I last saw Owen during their outdoor family portrait session in the fall, he was shy and quiet and only wanted to be held by his dad. This time around, he was excited to introduce me to his baby brother Dylan, and he loved playing with all of the toys in my studio. He eagerly joined the family portraits, and he was all smiles for the camera when he saw the different rattles and bubbles that I brought out for his session. Now, I know that not all toddlers are like Dylan - but over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks about how to help your toddlers feel better in the studio during newborn portraits.

Tips for engaging toddlers:

• Go at their pace, don't rush them - or everyone’s going to have a rough time.

• Make them feel special! It’s hard to understand why you aren’t the center of attention anymore. Start off by talking to the toddler and playing with them, and make it all about them instead of all about the baby.

• Let them feel in control, give them easy choices like "Do you want to start with just you and baby, or mommy and daddy and baby? Do you think we should use the white or the blue blanket?"

• Never underestimate the power of a bribe. I keep my studio snack cart stocked with toddler favorites, and it's amazing to see how hard these kids will keep it together for a promised goldfish or juice box when they are all done!

• Give them breaks. Mix up the family poses so that the child isn't in every single one for long periods of time. Let them go play, have a quick bite, help you find a new toy, etc. while you mix family portraits with mom and baby, dad and baby, sibling portraits, etc.

• Make it fun! Sing songs, blow bubbles, hide toys or snacks with the baby, ask them to find an animal in your camera lens, use rattles, lean in for little tickles, etc.

• Remember to keep the baby's safety your top priority and plan all shots around poses that will keep the baby supported and secure. Always have a parent or two nearby to spot the baby, and give the toddler clues or magic words that will let them know when it's safe to get up and move.

---

Save it for later:

Sweet and simple portraits for a newborn baby boy

Oh my goodness. I loved Baby Ollie’s newborn portrait session so much! This little guy was the absolute sweetest, and he had a head full of hair that just popped against all of the neutral layers and wraps. His skin was so creamy and he was a dream to photograph. I used a new waffle-knit wrap and posing blanket for this baby boy, and I love how beautifully the texture photographs and that special little touch that it adds to his portraits. Scroll down for some of my favorites!

Those wide-eyed newborn shots are always a favorite for the parents! Ollie was so calm and cozy while awake, and we even captured a few portraits with his mama’s stethoscope as a nod to her profession — she’s a surgeon in NYC!

His mama had seen a recent cake smash of mine with mint & navy balloons, and she loved the look and wanted to incorporate those colors into her son’s portraits, too. I love the variety here!

---

Save this for later!

Giuliana's Studio Newborn Portraits

Seriously now. This is quite possibly the CUTEST newborn photo I have ever taken:

Giuliana was a little sweetheart, and I loved capturing all of her different expressions during her newborn portrait session in my Saratoga Springs portrait studio. She was wide awake and happy for the first half of her session, and then she fell into a deep sleep and she curled right up into all of the little poses and wraps. I absolutely adore the portraits that we captured, and I’m excited to share them with you, too!

Her parents brought this little swaddle blanket from Caden Lane, and it was perfect as a blanket backdrop to show her name! I love when families bring beautiful swaddles from home to incorporate into their session. It always makes for extra personal portraits!

---

Love these sweet newborn portraits? Pin this image or any from the post above to save for inspiration!

Best of 2020 Newborn Sessions - Saratoga Springs Newborn Portrait Photographer

Wrapping up our Best of 2020 posts, I’m excited to share a peek at some of my favorite newborn portraits from last year! I was lucky enough to photograph so many sweet little babies, and I loved celebrating each one’s arrival with their family. Of course, the best part was the sweet little cuddles! More than 8 years into running this business, and I can still hardly believe that this is my job!

2020 was a little different because we were closed for three months in the spring at the start of the pandemic, but that gave me the opportunity to welcome so many older babies into the studio for their older newborn portraits in the summer! I loved working with these older babies. Their eye contact was amazing, they gave the sweetest smiles, they interacted with their parents, and they had gained a few pounds so those cheeks were beyond adorable! I fell in love with older newborn sessions, and I will definitely continue offering them for babies of all ages!

Loving the colors & the outfits in this blog post??? Me, too! Check out our wardrobe inspiration for newborn sessions here!

---

Inspired by these newborn portraits? Pin this image or any from the post above for inspiration!

A Keepsake Book for Baby Nora - Showcasing our 10x10 Linen Fine Art Album

Our fine art albums are my ALL TIME FAVORITE KEEPSAKE that we can create from our portrait sessions.  Newborn sessions, birthday sessions, family sessions, and maternity sessions -- these are such beautiful ways to display your images and to enjoy them for many, many years to come.

Personally, my home has a stack of these albums that I've designed and printed for our own personal photographs, and every year the  pile grows a little taller.  I print the same albums for my own family that I do for yours because I love them so much. 

Enjoy a peek at sweet little Nora's newborn session in our linen album!  The thick pages and sparkly linen cover were the perfect combination for this baby girl.
 

Album details:
10x10 Fine Art Album
Cameo cover with photo cut-out
Linen color: Oyster (with just a hint of sparkle!)

I truly love creating beautiful heirloom products for the families that I work with.  I want you to see & enjoy your images every single day, and I love helping families realize that printed memories are so much more powerful than little JPEGs lost on a hard drive somewhere.  
 

Check out a few of our other Signature Products that are available with all of our sessions!

Our Mini Accordion Album
Our Custom Image Cover Album
Our Keepsake Wooden Box

Booking a Safe Newborn Photographer - Saratoga Springs NY Newborn Photographer

Sleepy Newborn Photos - Saratoga Springs & Boston Newborn Photographer

Ask any newborn photographer -- there is nothing we love more than a sleepy, cuddly newborn baby!  Those little baby yawns that come right before they slip into what we lovingly call a "milk drunk" state of sleep are the best!  

So why do photographers love sleepy newborn babies so much?  Well, they are much easier to settle into a pose without stretching or startling themselves awake.  For a baby that is just a week or two old, when they are awake they typically want to eat.  Of course, you didn't hire a newborn photographer to capture dozens of photos of your baby eating, so we like a baby to have a full belly and be nice and settled during their session.

When a newborn baby is in a deep sleep during a studio session, it's easy to move them from the beanbag to buckets and other small props to curl them up inside of.  

This also gives your photographer the chance to really slow down and zoom in on all of the details that you don't want to forget -- their perfect pout, the flaky newborn skin on their hands, their tiny toes, and that thin layer of downy newborn hair on their back.

Plus, sleepy newborn smiles are OH-SO-AMAZING!!!

But do newborn babies need to be asleep during their newborn sessions?
No, of course not!  

I actually love it when they're awake for a few shots so that we can capture their sparkly eyes and intense gaze.  Check out yesterday's blog post filled with so many of
our favorite awake newborn images from recent sessions!
 

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - A Lifestyle Newborn Session in the South End, Boston Baby Photographer

Can we please fill all of the nurseries with twinkling stars?  Pretty please?

I just loved visiting Baby Chance's family at home for a lifestyle session to celebrate their little boy's arrival.  Their South End apartment in Boston was the perfect mix of industrial and modern, with sweet little touches like the wooden doves on the wall and the light-up stars in the nursery.  We had so much fun together capturing some quiet moments at home as the new mom & dad cuddled up with their baby boy.  

Older babies may not be as easy to pose, but they sure are expressive!  Chance is the happiest baby, and he had so many smiles and giggles for us!  Just look at how joyful and handsome he is!  Even their dog, Tessie, was curious about this little baby that had come into their home.

I always love parent shots like this one when we are doing a lifestyle session at home.  Pure & simple, it shows what your life is like as a new mom.  These are true, everyday moments that you will live thousands of times, and look back on them to show your child one day how you used to cuddle him in the chair by the window, giving him gentle face massages to help him relax.  

One happy family -- though their dog is still trying to figure out if she's happy about this new addition!  

We have enjoyed so many lifestyle sessions lately!  Be sure to check out a few of our favorites on the blog for inspiration for your own newborn session at home.  

Harrison: A Lifestyle Family Session with Blogger of A Modest Life

Catherine: A Lifestyle Session in Charlestown, Boston

Charlie: A Lifestyle Session in the South End

Welcome home, Harrison! A Lifestyle Newborn Session with "A Modest Life" - Boston Newborn Photographer

Oh my goodness, these lifestyle sessions have my whole heart!

Our Spokesmama, Robyn Racheotes of www.amodestlife.com, invited me into her home to celebrate the arrival of her second son, Harrison.  Robyn's Instagram account is filled with beautiful images of her home -- lots of airy light, nautical details, the most perfectly styled shelves, and lots and lots of stripes.  When she mentioned that she'd love to do a lifestyle newborn session at home, I was thrilled to join them in this cozy & beautiful space to capture so many moments together!

Aren't newborn cuddles the best?  Robyn & Pete were so in love with their little boy!

This family loves spending their free time at the beach on Cape Cod, so of course it was important to capture all of those beachy details in the nursery.  Aren't these board books the cutest?!?!

Newborn sessions with a toddler at home always keep me on my toes as a photographer -- we have to act quick to capture the perfect shots with an active toddler who is just getting used to the idea of not being the baby of the family anymore.  Nicholas was so excited about his baby brother.  He wanted to cuddle & kiss the baby at full speed, the same way that toddlers explore their whole world.  The moments that we capture with a toddler are always short & sweet, but they perfectly portray this stage that they're in while welcoming their new sibling home!

Congratulations to your sweet family, Robyn!  I can't wait to watch the boys grow together as they discover how awesome it is to have a brother!

Want to be inspired?  Go follow A Modest Life for your daily dose of pretty food, travel, decor, and motherhood!

Killian's Studio Newborn Session - Saratoga Springs Newborn Photographer

April was the month that it rained babies here at our Saratoga Springs boutique portrait studio, and I was getting phone calls from new moms every few days letting me know that their little one had arrived.  It was truly such a magical month, and I am so grateful for all of the baby cuddles that I got to enjoy, and the incredible moments I was lucky enough to capture of new moms & dads welcoming their babies into their families.

Killian came to the studio for his portrait session, and I had so much fun with his mom & dad.  They were absolutely amazing and relaxed the entire time, and we spent the three-hour session getting to know one another, learning about their jobs, the dad's tattoos (such a cool story behind those!), and a very unique baby company that makes gear that this police officer dad loves.  I always enjoy when the clients I work with make it so easy to pass a few hours together during the session, and then we get together a few weeks later for the gallery reveal and it's like old friends sharing the baby's images together.  Really, how did I luck out with such incredible clients?  

But of course, Killian was the star of the session.  He has the sweetest little lips, and soft hair that is blonde in some spots -- I see so few blonde newborns, so it's always a treat when one comes to the studio!  He absolutely loved the Huck Finn pose (below), and was super comfy in this adorable hand-knit romper that I just recently added to the studio collection.  

This sweet little boy slept so well during his session, and he was the perfect little model for us!  There were soft "oooooh, how cute!" cries the moment this bear bonnet went on, and he loved it so much that he couldn't help but give us a cute little smile!

Oftentimes parents like to bring a small sentimental item to use during their session -- a handmade blanket passed down from great grandma, a medal from a marathon mom ran while newly pregnant, an item that represents one of their careers.  Killian's dad brought his police badge & hat to use during the session -- he's with the Schenectady Police Department.  I love how we were able to capture a few images of Killian holding his dad's police badge!  

When his dad told me the significance behind his tattoos (every single item represents a family member and the story behind the entire sleeve is truly amazing!), I knew that we had to incorporate this visual family history into his portraits.  This may be one of my favorite dad & baby images we've capture so far this year!  

And of course, his mama was absolutely radiant and so happy to have her little baby boy cuddled up in her arms.  I love being able to capture these moments that show parents in their first days of parenthood, getting to know their little one.  It really is magical!  

Thank you for such an incredible session together!  I look forward to seeing Killian again this year as he grows!

If you're looking for a newborn portrait photographer, we are now booking through October 2017!  I would love to chat with you to plan your session.  Check out our three unique types of sessions through the link below, and use the contact tab to get in touch!

A Relaxed Newborn Session at Home in Charlestown | Boston Lifestyle Photographer

Welcome home, Catherine Grace.

Your mommy & daddy loved you long before they brought you home from the hospital, and they were beaming with pride and joy holding you in those first few days after you were born.  There are always these moments of awe that take your breath away when you look at a family that has just gone from 2 to 3, and this sweet little family was no exception.

I loved getting to visit Catherine's family at their home in Charlestown for a lifestyle newborn portrait session.  It was a warm spring day, and their home was filled with soft sunlight peeking in through the curtains, with Boston's old brick buildings just outside the windows.  Inside, the three of them cozied up together, the new mommy and daddy cuddling their fresh baby girl.  

She was a dream baby, so sleepy and calm.  We captured so many yawns and smiles from this adorable little girl during her newborn session!

She was also my most smiley newborn to date.  Normally we're lucky if we capture one smile in a session -- Catherine gave us FOUR smiles, all of them captured on camera.  With her beautiful smiles and that full head of hair, she is gorgeous!

I'm now booking lifestyle sessions through October in Saratoga Springs & Boston!  Please contact me today and let's plan your baby's welcome home session!  

Nautical + Springtime Portraits for a Baby Girl | Saratoga Springs & Boston Newborn Photographer

Blake Vivian came to our Attleboro studio for her newborn portrait session when she was only 5 days old.  With such a gorgeous name, I knew I wanted to do some perfectly soft & feminine set ups for this little girl.  And of course, I couldn't resist bringing in a few nautical elements for this family that loves their time at the beach on Cape Cod so much!

This baby girl was such a little charmer, and she loved being cuddled by her mom, dad, and grandmother.  She slept like a dream when she was all wrapped up in our swaddles, and I love the sweet little springtime images we were able to capture of her on our new Lavender Fields backdrop from Photographer Rising.  

This image below is going to hang as a stunning 24x36 canvas above her crib in the nursery -- what a gorgeous way to make a statement in the bedroom that was so lovingly created for her!

And now our nautical images.  I just love baby girls in blue, and this combination of seaside colors was perfect for Blake.  

I've been enjoying more backlit portraits in the studio lately, and I have to say that I am a HUGE fan of these bright & airy images.  We did a series of backlit images at the beginning of Blake's session with her mom, dad, and grandma.  Everyone is so radiant and peaceful -- I just love it!  These are definitely going to become a staple at all of our studio sessions moving forward.

Are you expecting a little one in 2017?  

We are now booking through the spring and summer, and we'd love to see you for a Studio Newborn Session, Lifestyle Newborn Session at home, or a Fresh 48 session in the hospital!  

I'm also so excited about our new maternity session collections, and I would love to talk with you about celebrating this time of anticipation!  
Please email hello@nicolestarrphotography.com and let's chat!

A Cake Smash Session in our Fine Art Album

Have I mentioned before how much I LOVE our beautiful fine art albums?  They are absolutely my favorite product to create from our sessions.  We fill the pages of your album with so many gorgeous memories, all woven together to tell your family's beautiful story in a keepsake that you'll pass down to your children one day.  

This fun cake smash album went home with Miles' family this weekend, and I just know that they're going to love reliving their son's first birthday through the pages of their album.  Take a peek at their album below!

Their family photos are fun & playful, and their baby boy went to town on his chocolate chip cookies.  I have never seen a baby so excited about his cookies before, and I love that we went non-traditional by bringing in some cookies for his first birthday session!  While he wasn't the biggest fan of his Cookie Monster cake smash, we ended the session with lots of smiles in our vintage bathtub filled with soap bubbles that were perfect for splashing!

Did you love this session post?

Check out another of our custom albums from a recent lifestyle newborn session!  
You will ADORE the blues in this beach-inspired nursery! 

Rainbow Baby Mateo: A Fresh 48 Hospital Newborn Session

Mateo Rocco
January 31, 2016

Mateo's mom & dad waited a long time to hold their baby boy in their arms.  Mateo's name means "a gift from God," and he truly is a gift to his parents.  He is their rainbow baby, a miraculous gift that made them parents again after they lost their first daughter much too early due to a genetic condition.  

Mateo's parents could not wait to welcome this little boy into their family and to meet their first daughter's little brother.  I've read that some people believe rainbow babies to be handpicked for families by their siblings in heaven.  What a wonderful concept.

When I visited Mateo's family in the hospital for their Fresh 48 session, the powerful love that these new parents shared for their baby boy was breathtaking.  During the moments of calm in their hospital room, they shared the sweetest moments as they got to know their son for the first time.

From the first cuddles to sharing duties and chatting about who does a better job with the swaddle, Mike & Christine were the most calm, relaxed, and chill new parents that I have met.  They were just so happy to bring their baby boy home later that day, and it was clear that the many months anticipation brought them to a moment of pure joy & peace.

Mateo was a sleepy little thing the entire time I visited them in the hospital moving easily from his bassinet to the bed to his parents' arms.